Synthesis of Hybrid Fullerene Oxide[C60(O)n, (n≥1)] - Silver Nanoparticle Composites and Their Catalytic Activity for Reduction of 2-, 3-, 4-Nitroaniline

Fullerene oxide[C-60(O)(n), (n >= 1)] was synthesized by dissolving fullerene[C-60] and 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in toluene under refluxing condition for 5 h. Hybrid fullerene oxide-silver nanoparticle composites were synthesized by dissolving fullerene oxide and silver nitrate[AgNO3] in diethylene glycol under ultrasonic irradiation for 3 h. The synthesized hybrid nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible[UV-vis] spectroscopy. The catalytic activity for the reduction of various nitroanilines[NAs] was identified by UV-vis spectrophotometer. The efficiency of the catalytic reduction by the synthesized hybrid nanocomposites has an order of 4-NA > 2-NA > 3-NA.